Bristol County Agricultural High School gets $70,000 state grant

Bristol County Agricultural High School is getting $70,000 worth of new equipment and supplies after being chosen as one of 35 public high schools and training programs to receive grant funding through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

Bristol County Agricultural High School is getting $70,000 worth of new equipment and supplies after being chosen as one of 35 public high schools and training programs to receive grant funding through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

Aggie, which has students from all 20 communities in Bristol County, will use the funding for equipment in its animal science program, which includes courses in biotechnology and veterinary assisting. The equipment will include video microscopes, an ultrasound machine, models to teach canine CPR and basic lab equipment.

Access to the new equipment, animal science department chairwoman Leslie Blanchette explained, will benefit the students.

“It’s going to make them more marketable for when they graduate to get jobs in the field,” said Blanchette, who wrote the grant application.

The recent round of grants, which totals more than $3.2 million statewide, is part of a broader effort to encourage students to pursue science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

“Continuing to invest in STEM education in our schools will create new jobs and opportunities for the next generation of students and leaders in our economy,” Gov. Deval Patrick said in a statement. “By partnering with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, these investments will allow students to gain more hands-on experience in the classroom, further engaging them in STEM fields that will get them excited about future careers in our innovative industries.”

To date, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has awarded more than $10 million in funding through three rounds of grants. The center is tasked with implementing a $1 billion state-funded investment initiative over 10 years.

“I am pleased that students of Bristol County Agricultural High School will have the opportunity to get a high-quality life sciences education through state-of-the-art equipment and training,” said Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton. “I’d like to thank Gov. Patrick and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for supporting STEM education students across the state who are interested in this dynamic and rapidly growing field in Massachusetts.”